The Worland Family in America and Beyond

I began my life in the Puget Sound area of Washington State, on an island filled with forests and wild rhododendrons. I was separated from my Worland family there at an early age. Recently, I was reunited with my family and learned of my heritage. And so, this journey to know my ancestors began. The Worlands, Gideons, Newtons, Conards... they were the colonists, the settlers, the pioneers. They fought in the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Civil War. This is their story, and the story of a nation. -Deci Worland MacKinnon

Monday, August 1, 2011

May 1738, Connecticut

May, 1738- Colonial Connecticut Records, Volume VII: "Upon the memorial of Prince Tracy of Willington, representing the peculiar circumstances of one Reuben Goff, an idiot child now resident in Wellington, and praying for relief, &c., as per his memorial on file, dated May 15th, 1738; Resolved by this Assembly, that there be paid out of the publick treasury of this Colony, for the support of said Reuben Goff, the sum of ten shillings per week; and that Nathaniel Stanly, Esqr, of Hartford, do from time to time sign and direct orders to the Treasurer of this Colony (on application of such meet person as the town of Willington shall to that purpose appoint,) to draw out of the publick treasury the sum of ten shillings per week, quarterly, to be improved for the subsistence of the said idiot child, during the pleasure of this Assembly."

Reuben Goffe is the 8 year old son of Solomon Goffe & Mary Doolittle. Solomon Goffe must have suffered a series of financial reverses, as he had bought his brothers' interest in a property in Wethersfield in 1711.
He lived there ten years. In 1721, he sold the place to Thomas Andrews, of Wallingford.
Solomon and his wife were passing through Willington as transients at the time of Reuben's birth. They were very poor and unable to care for the disabled child, and through the years he was cared for by various residents of Willington.
The fate of Solomon and Mary is unclear. They may have settled in Willington, or died about this time.

May 20, 1738- My eighth great grandfather, Nathaniel Hubbard, dies at the age of 85 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut.
Born in Middletown, Nathaniel was the son of George Hubbard & Elizabeth Watts, sister of Captain Thomas Watts. Nathaniel's father, George Hubbard, had come from England to Concord, Massachusetts in 1633.
In 1682, Nathaniel married Mary Earle, who preceded him in death. They lived at Long Hill, on the cross roads some two miles west of the Connecticut river, on property purchased by his father. Mary Earle's grandfather was Henry De Earl, Lord of Newton of England, who came to America on the ship "Speedwell" in 1656.
Nathaniel contributed 15 shillings toward the first church bell used in Middletown;
which supplanted the drum for calling the people together.
He is buried in Riverside Cemetery, Middletown.
Inscription: Here lyes the body of Mr. Nathaniel Hubbard who deceased May 20, 1738 in ye 86th year of his age.

His Will is recorded in Digest of Early Connecticut Wills. Inventoried 2 June 1738 (341pounds, 9s, 3p.)Recorded 5 June
1738. All ten children mentioned as living.

I,
Nathaniel Hubbard, Sen., of Middletown, in the County of Hartford,
being sensible by my great age and weakness through it that my departure
is at hand, do make and ordain this my last will and testament: I give
to my son Nathaniel Hubbard what I have given him by deed of gift and
£10 in money more, and 1-2 of my land on the west side the mountain,
belonging to the lott my son Ebenezer liveth on. I give to my son John
Hubbard what I have given him by deed of gift and £5 in money more, and
the 1-2 of my land on the west side of the mountain, belonging to the
lott my son Ebenezer liveth on. I give to my son Ebenezer Hubbard what I
have given him by deed of gift and 10 shillings more. I give to my
daughter Mary what I have given her by deed of gift and a share in the
remainder of the homelott, so much as with the 1-2 acre already given
her to make her part equal in value with her sisters' part in the
homelott, except Sarah; and also a pewter platter which her mother
designed for her. I give to my daughter Abigail £10-15-00 in money,
which is to make her equal with the rest of them, and an iron kettle and
an old brass kettle which her mother designed for her. I give to my
daughter Elizabeth £10-15 in money, which is to make her equal with
Esther, and my feather bed and blankets. I give to my daughter Sarah 1-2
of an acre of land at the southeast corner of my homelott, to lye
square, and my new brass kettle, and my iron pott, and a pewter platter,
which her mother designed for her. I give to my daughter Thankfull
£7-15-00 in money to make her equal with Esther, and my hetchell between
her and her sister Hannah. I give to my daughter Hannah £7-15-00 in
money to make her equal with Esther, and 1-2 of my hetchell and my
chest. I give to my daughter Esther my warming pan. My will is that my
debts, funeral charges and ye legacies above mentioned to be paid to my
children be paid out of my household stuff not here disposed of, and out
of my stock so far as they will go, and the rest to be made up out of
my homelott. And what remains of my homelott and buildings upon it I
give to my 7 daughters, to Abigail, Elizabeth, Sarah, Thankfull, Hannah
and Esther equal parts in it, and to Mary such a part as with the half
acre I have already given her to make her part equal in value with her
sisters' parts except Sarah, who is to have the half acre above
mentioned besides her equal part in the rest. I appoint my sons
Nathaniel and John Hubbard executors. Witness: William Rockwell,
Benjamin Hand, Jr., Ebenezer Rockwell. Nathaniel X Hubbard, Sen., ls.
Court Record, Page 30--5 June, 1738: Will proven.